Research in Palpa de Sacramento

A team of specialized structural geologists and hydrogeologists
embark upon a critical assessment of David
Johnson's Hypothesis, during the Spring and Summer of 2002.

Drs. Ken Hardcastle, Steve
Mabee, and Don
Wise will use highly detailed ground information provided
by researchers at ETH
Zurich. The goals are to conduct lineament analyses
and outcrop structure mapping. These data will then be
statistically compared with mapped geoglyphs (as mapped
by ETH researchers). Such a comparison will provide strong
evidence for or against Johnson's
Hypothesis.

Our research team of geologists and archaeologists has
received valuable assistance and cooperation from Dr.
Markus Reindel and his colleagues, Karsten Lambers and
Dr. Armin Grün, at the Institute of Geodesy and Photogrammetry,
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, in Zurich Switzerland.
In Peru their colleague Johny Isla Cuadrado of the Instituto
Andino de Estudios Arqueológicos is a valuable
member of the team.

Our European colleagues have been conducting archaeological
and photogrammetric studies which aims to produce a complete
3-D record of the geoglyphs in the areas of Nasca, Palpa
and San Ignacio. They are using the latest digital photogrammetric
technology and advanced visualization software. Their
photogrammetric and archaeological work can be viewed
on the following websites where downloadable files of
recent publications are available:

These colleagues have graciously shared their data with
us including their maps and digital terrain model (DTM)
data, which we have found invaluable in testing Johnson's
hypothesis. Our primary use of their data has been the
high quality aerial photography and DTM for the preparation
of base maps for our geological investigations.

This is the first attempt at testing Johnson's hypothesis outside
of the area of origin, Nasca.